[Reece Nelson]

Hello all,

I've recently had finished my harness that is dated for the year 1410-1420 and am wanting to attend the battle of Grunwald/Tannenberg and would like to be a knight of the Tutonic order

I've documented everything with my harness (armour) to fit within the period of that battle, but I've been having a difficult time documenting what sort of surcoat/jupon they would have worn over it. I've seen several images from the reenactment, but I'd like to find some original sources and go from there.

(I'm the guy in the black and gold armour in the images)

Thanks in advance!!

-Reece

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

So you're the one in the black and gold armour. And you have only one leg. Were you hit by a car, Reece? I'm sorry to hear that.

[Frederik K.]

Well, as your armour isn't very "german" for the period of 1410-1420 i would recommend a more western surcot for going not as a member of the order, but as a asociated knight of france england etc.
But if you want to do a member of the order, the closest source might be for example the effigy of von Liebenstein:

http://effigiesandbrasses.com/2630/2320/

[Reece Nelson]

Fredrick,

Yes it isn't, as I've documented it mostly off of English and French sources, but I can always get a different style visor to give my kit a more ' German ' style and the surcoat would cover my curaiss and spaulders, depending on what style I go for.

My legs and arms are floating articulation, which from I've seen is a very German thing to do.


-Reece

[Foong Chen Hong]

I love that even with a single leg, it doesn't stop you from doing what you love, keep up the good work

[Ryan S.]

[Reece Nelson]

Well yes, but I chose that route cu it was seen a lot in the historical art and not done very often by reenactors. If I make the surcoat right, it'll cover up the spaulders and upper cannons pretty well, were you'll only see the couters and vambraces.

But I'd be interested in hearing how I may modify the kit I currently have to fit with the role...

-Reece

[Martin Kealey]

Just out of curiosity; when were you planning on attending the annual Grunwald re-enactment? I myself am going in 2016.

[Frederik K.]

the history of the order in the late 14th is a very difficult matter... as for the armour: we can see as early as the late 1390s the development of a distinctive "german" style that is based on more than just special form of visor. although there is always a percentage of more westernish individuums. it isnt a rule already in the 14th century (still to come) but the area of recruiting new members is focussed on the areas of the empire (whether you would take knights of the alsace or lothringen as modern "french" or not) the point of the gilding is dificult to answer for the icoographic sources fpr knigghts of the order in this time frame are more than rare, and in most cases do not offer great details or even colours. what we know is that armour and fashoin most probably did follow the profan knights, and that, by written accounts, the RULE began to be undermined (play-debts of knights and officers, apes on the marienburg etc etc.) so that guilding of amrourparts might be plausible, but you could only wear it as a academic construct never a reconstruction

[Lafayette C Curtis]